1,342 research outputs found
Statistical analyses of long-term variability of AGN at high radio frequencies
We present a study of variability time scales in a large sample of Active
Galactic Nuclei at several frequencies between 4.8 and 230 GHz. We investigate
the differences of various AGN types and frequencies and correlate the measured
time scales with physical parameters such as the luminosity and the Lorentz
factor. Our sample consists of both high and low polarization quasars, BL
Lacertae objects and radio galaxies. The basis of this work is the 22 GHz, 37
GHz and 87 GHz monitoring data from the Metsahovi Radio Observatory spanning
over 25 years. In addition,we used higher 90 GHz and 230 GHz frequency data
obtained with the SEST-telescope between 1987 and 2003. Further lower frequency
data at 4.8 GHz, 8 GHz and 14.5 GHz from the University of Michigan monitoring
programme have been used. We have applied three different statistical methods
to study the time scales: The structure function, the discrete correlation
function and the Lomb-Scargle periodogram. We discuss also the differences and
relative merits of these three methods. Our study reveals that smaller flux
density variations occur in these sources on short time scales of 1-2 years,
but larger outbursts happen quite rarely, on the average only once in every 6
years. We do not find any significant differences in the time scales between
the source classes. The time scales are also only weakly related to the
luminosity suggesting that the shock formation is caused by jet instabilities
rather than the central black hole.Comment: 19 pages, 12 figures, Accepted for publication in A&
BL Lac X-ray Spectra: simpler than we thought
We report results from {\it XMM-Newton} observations of thirteen X-ray bright
BL Lacertae objects, selected from the {\it Einstein} Slew Survey sample. The
spectra are generally well fit by power-law models, with four objects having
hard () spectra that indicates
synchrotron peaks at keV. None of our spectra show line features,
indicating that soft X-ray absorption ``notches'' must be rare amongst BL Lacs,
rather than common or ubiquitous as had previously been asserted. We find
significant curvature in most of the spectra. This curvature is almost
certainly intrinsic, as it appears nearly constant from 0.5 to 6 keV, an
observation which is inconsistent with the small columns seen in these sources.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure; to be published in proceedings of the Cozumel
meeting on "Multiwavelength Surveys for AGN", Cozumel 200
Radio Band Observations of Blazar Variability
The properties of blazar variability in the radio band are studied using the
unique combination of temporal resolution from single dish monitoring and
spatial resolution from VLBA imaging; such measurements, now available in all
four Stokes parameters, together with theoretical simulations, identify the
origin of radio band variability and probe the characteristics of the radio jet
where the broadband blazar emission originates. Outbursts in total flux density
and linear polarization in the optical-to-radio bands are attributed to shocks
propagating within the jet spine, in part based on limited modeling invoking
transverse shocks; new radiative transfer simulations allowing for shocks at
arbitrary angle to the flow direction confirm this picture by reproducing the
observed centimeter-band variations observed more generally, and are of current
interest since these shocks may play a role in the gamma-ray flaring detected
by Fermi. Recent UMRAO multifrequency Stokes V studies of bright blazars
identify the spectral variability properties of circular polarization for the
first time and demonstrate that polarity flips are relatively common.
All-Stokes data are consistent with the production of circular polarization by
linear-to-circular mode conversion in a region that is at least partially
self-absorbed. Detailed analysis of single-epoch, multifrequency, all-Stokes
VLBA observations of 3C 279 support this physical picture and are best
explained by emission from an electron-proton plasma.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, uses, jaa.sty. Invited talk presented at the
conference Multifrequency Variability of Blazars, Guangzhou, China, September
22-24, 2010. To appear in J. Astrophys. Ast
- âŠ